Medical examination tables and chairs are known in the art for supporting a patient thereon while a medical professional examines the patient or performs a medical procedure. For convenience, reference is made herein to an examination table, but it will be understood that the features and advantages of the invention are applicable to both medical examination tables and medical examination chairs.
Conventional medical examination tables may comprise a generally flat patient support surface, or may comprise a seat section and a back section supported on a base unit, wherein the seat and back sections are moveable relative to one another and the base to place the patient in a desired position. For example, the seat section or back section may be articulated by actuating mechanisms such a motors, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, or other devices to move the seat and back sections between the various positions and to adjust the height of the seat and back sections relative to the base. Medical examination tables also frequently include a step to assist a patient to get onto and off of the examination table. The step may be separate from the examination table, or it may be built into the table. When the steps are provided as a separate component, they take up extra space and become undesirable obstructions around the table, or within the medical practitioner's office, when not being used to mount or dismount the table. Conventional steps which are built into medical examination tables, however, are generally not easily moved between stowed and extended positions. In particular, if a step has no rolling elements to facilitate movement from the stowed to the extended position, the step is likely to snag on carpeted surfaces, or otherwise be difficult to maneuver. On the other hand, stowable steps having rollers generally do not provide a stable feel for persons using the step to mount or dismount the table.
A need therefore exists for an examination table having a stowable step which overcomes these and other drawbacks of the prior art.